Department Chair – Artificial Intelligence

American Public University System; United States; Remote; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player seeks a Department Chair to lead a dynamic team in delivering quality education. This key leadership role involves overseeing program operations, collaborating with various departments, and ensuring curriculum relevance, particularly in AI. The ideal candidate will possess a Ph.D. and extensive experience in programming, academic leadership, and curriculum development. Join a forward-thinking institution dedicated to serving military and public service communities, where your contributions will shape the future of education and foster student success.

Qualifications

• 10+ years programming experience in Python and/or R.
• Experience in academic leadership roles and curriculum development.

Responsibilities

• Articulating department goals and collaborating with stakeholders.
• Overseeing faculty hiring, development, and evaluation.
• Leading curriculum innovation and maintaining academic rigor.

Skills

Python

R

SQL

NoSQL

AI Tools

C

C++

Cloud Infrastructure

Education

Ph.D. in Computer Science

Ph.D. in Data Science

Ph.D. in Statistics

Ph.D. in Mathematics

Job description

The Department Chair is a key leadership position within the University. The Department Chair provides leadership for a quality student learning experience by ensuring coherence in the discipline and relevance to practice, supporting the University Mission. This role contributes to activities supporting student learning outcomes, program quality, discipline integrity, faculty growth, success, and belonging, focusing on student learning, teaching excellence, and faculty and student retention. The Department Chair collaborates with departments such as the Office of the Provost, Faculty Human Resources, Curriculum and Assessment, Instructional Design, Trefry Library, Electronic Course Materials, and the Center for Teaching and Learning, as well as operational departments like Advising, Registrar, Marketing, Enterprise Data Office, Workforce Learning Solutions, and Military and Corporate Outreach. The Chair oversees daily operations of one or more programs and faculty.

Responsibilities:

Essential operational responsibilities include:

1. Articulating the department’s goals and needs to advance programs within and outside the School.
2. Consulting with internal and external stakeholders and advisory groups to understand student, curricular, occupational, discipline, or University needs.
3. Collaborating with cross-functional departments and stakeholders to develop, measure, and evaluate student learning outcomes, instructional efficacy, and student persistence and retention for continuous improvement.
4. Participating in annual strategic planning and budgeting processes.
5. Managing student conduct, appeals, and grievance processes.
6. Overseeing new programs and courses in AI to ensure they meet current industry standards.

Essential teaching and learning activities include:

1. Hiring, developing, supporting, and evaluating faculty.
2. Documenting faculty successes and improvements in teaching, research, curriculum management, and service.
3. Recognizing faculty and colleagues for outstanding performance.
4. Assigning courses and credentials to faculty.
5. Allocating curriculum development responsibilities.
6. Communicating regularly with faculty.
7. Convening faculty meetings.
8. Conducting curriculum reviews to ensure currency with advances in AI and related fields.

Essential leadership activities include:

1. Developing and supporting faculty to ensure program continuity, currency, and relevancy.
2. Collaborating with faculty to reflect external changes in the discipline and market.
3. Empowering faculty to create inclusive, student-centric learning environments.
4. Modeling engagement and excellence in teaching.
5. Leading curriculum innovation and maintaining academic rigor.

Critical skills and characteristics for effective leaders:

1. Contributing as a thought leader within the discipline and institution.
2. Proficiency with current AI tools, technologies, and trends.
3. Staying current with academic and leadership developments.
4. Taking initiative with forward-thinking solutions.
5. Paying attention to detail and managing priorities.
6. Collaborating respectfully following institutional policies.
7. Coaching and developing others.
8. Practicing emotional intelligence and managing stressful situations.
9. Valuing diversity, equity, inclusion, and perspectives.
10. Adapting quickly to change.
11. Communicating effectively in various media.
12. Demonstrating flexibility as needed.

Requirements:

• Ph.D. in Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Data Science, or a related field from a regionally accredited institution.
• Published research in AI or related journals.
• At least ten years of programming experience in Python and/or R.
• Experience querying databases with SQL or NoSQL.
• Preference for familiarity with C, C++.
• Five or more years’ experience with cloud infrastructures such as AWS, OCI, Azure, or Google Cloud.
• Experience in academic leadership roles, such as leading research groups or managing grants.
• At least five years’ teaching and curriculum development in AI or related fields.
• Research funding experience is preferred.

Compensation and Benefits:

• Full-time faculty are salaried employees.

Additional Notes: Full-time faculty and department chairs consider APUS their primary employer and may not hold full-time positions elsewhere in higher education.

About Us:

APUS is an online university based in Charles Town, WV, serving over 100,000 students, primarily military and public service communities, providing quality, affordable education.

How to Apply

When Applying: Upload a CV and unofficial transcripts of your master’s degree or higher. Unofficial copies are acceptable; official copies are only required upon request.